Hi all, I’ve been having a lot of difficulty trying to smoke meats on my 22” Weber kettle.
This is my first brisket attempt, and it came out dry and tough, not much wiggle or juices at all.
I used a snake method and started around 200F for the first couple of hours, then moved to 250F, wrapped once internal temp hit 160F and finished nearing the 280F mark.
By this point, the internal temp was 210F, which I understand is too high, and I put it wrapped in a towel on the counter to rest for 4 hours.
What am I doing wrong? I use a temperature probe which I sit next to the meat ontop of the grates during the cook, and stick it inside the meat to check internal temps when I need to. I do not use the built in thermometer inside the Weber lid as it is often directly on top of the heat source, due to the vents on the opposite side being ontop of my meat.
by Browniekarbie
15 Comments
What wrap you use? Was this choice or prime?
It’s the 210 finish. Temps are really guidelines. What you are really looking for is probe tenderness. At about 195-198 internal start probing the meat. Once it starts feeling like your probing through butter and it has zero resistant, it’s done. Again, start probing around 195 range and then check every 15 minutes until probe slides in like butter and then pull it.
May want to calibrate and check your probe for accuracy as well. If your probe is off, your meat will be too.
That’s almost 15 degrees too much imo. If you’re gonna do a covered rest, particularly a cooler rest, I’m starting my probing for tender at 193-195
So first off likely over cooked.
In future cook to probe tender and not temperature.
Second, rest on counter without towels as wrapping in towels on counter will insulate and over cook it. In future take off BBQ and then rest on counter (no towels) for about an hour so it stops cooking. Then you put in cooler with towels to rest for 4 hours.
210 was too high and may have dried rhe brisket out. Try probing starting at 195 and sometimes it can be ready. Also before you wrap and hold let the temp come down to about 150 otherwise it will continue cooking and the internal temp will rise even higher! Usually 45 min- 60 min to let internal temp drop enough to wrap and hold. You can add fat, butter, etc to your wrapped brisket during hold as well. I think if you start probing earlier in the cook you may find its probe tender at a lower temp. Good luck!
“finished nearing the 280F mark”… That’s why it’s tough and dry…
[Oh you want dry tough brisket??!!](https://i.imgur.com/gvLViJI.jpeg)
I wish people would stop cooking to temp, past 165F.
You only continue to cook past that point for tenderness and continued fat rendering.
280F grate temp or internal temp? 😳
I don’t understand why people on here rest their smoked meats for so long. I never rest more than 20-30 mins and I have never had a problem.
Try dry brining. For lower quality cuts, bump to 275 sooner and hot hold it at 160 for 6 hours.
210 finish. When I first started i pulled mine at 198 and it was way too early. Now I’ll pull mine after the internal temp hits 202 for 30 ish minutes. Don’t forget when you towel and cooler the brisket, you’re essentially continuing to cook it but removing the heat source
Save it and use it for a chili or stew
I take mine off around 200 internal but huge tip I like to do that always keeps it juicy , inject with some beef broth the night before , and right before you wrap it and put it back on , inject some more 👌🏻
What elevation are you at? You never want to take meat above that boiling point at your specific elevation. For me, at 5550 feet above sea level, water boils at 202f. I try to stay below 198f, but the true test for doneness is the probe test. Just stay below your specific boiling point.